We’ve talked about the many different cloud services available, however, one business function has been largely left behind when it comes to cloud services and this is the fax machine. Once a crucial instrument of business communication, it’s usefulness was largely diminished when email took over.

The cloud and programs based in the cloud are a popular tech trend, with many companies introducing services and programs with features that use them. One of the most seemingly natural fits with the cloud are office communication and productivity suites.

Over the past year, governments around the world have been taking an ever more aggressive stance on the Internet and the regulation of it. Some want to regulate it to a point where it will be hardly recognizable to the Internet of today, while others want to introduce laws that will make it easier for police and similar bodies to track citizens.

The Internet is always changing, websites come and go and every now and then a popular idea comes along that clicks with netizens and takes off like wildfire. One such idea is perfect for these times of tough economies, when businesses and entrepreneurs are struggling to find funding for their projects and ideas.

It used to be that when a company spokesperson made a gaffe it was usually in person, and observed by a limited number of people. Now it seems that the majority of gaffes made have been on Twitter. These mistakes can spell disaster for any company, and can be even more deadly for small businesses, who may not recover.

With the recent launch of Google Drive, Microsoft’s update to SkyDrive and numerous mobile devices launching in the next few months with cloud storage apps included, the cloud is most likely 2012’s hottest tech trend. With what seems like every technical company offering a cloud service, there’s been a large amount of confusing technobabble floating around.

If you’ve ever observed people playing any sort of game, you probably noticed how involved the players with the game are. Why do players get so into the game? Competition and the desire to achieve established goals. There’s a Web trend emerging of companies using these game elements to drive engagement and customer buy-in.

A rising trend these days is the integration of a company’s Web based marketing – social media and online presence – with their physical operations. As such, many programs have been introduced with the goal of giving businesses a chance to get their name out there.

Cloud computing systems are continuing to grow and become more popular, especially with small businesses. And as cloud services continue to grow and evolve along with the needs of users and clients, we are sure to see some positive developments for the cloud this year.

Have you checked out your business’s online reputation lately? What you don’t know can hurt you! But with a little time and effort, you can take steps to manage your reputation online and use it to grow your business.